Elke Höfler, Claudia Zimmermann and Martin Ebner
The purpose of this paper is to share the lessons learned in implementing specific design patterns within the “Dr Internet” massive open online course (MOOC).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to share the lessons learned in implementing specific design patterns within the “Dr Internet” massive open online course (MOOC).
Design/methodology/approach
MOOCs are boasting considerable participant numbers, but also suffer from declining participant activity and low completion rates. Learning analytics results from earlier xMOOCs indicate that this might be alleviated by certain instructional design patterns – critical aspects include shorter course duration, narrative structures with suspense peaks, and a course schedule that is diversified and stimulating. To evaluate their impact on retention, the authors have tried to implement these patterns in the design of the “Dr Internet” MOOC.
Findings
Statistical results from the first run of the case study MOOC do not indicate any strong influences of these design patterns on the retention rate.
Research limitations/implications
With inconclusive statistical results from this case study, more research with higher participant numbers is needed to gain insight on the effectiveness of these design patterns in MOOCs. When interpreting retention outcomes, other influencing factors (course content, pacing, timing, etc.) need to be taken into account.
Originality/value
This publication reports about a case study MOOC and gives practical hints for further research.
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Jacobo Ramirez, Claudia Vélez-Zapata and Sergio Madero
The purpose of this paper is to analyze firms and employees’ strategies in illegitimate institutional contexts in which non-governmental armed groups enforce illegitimate…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze firms and employees’ strategies in illegitimate institutional contexts in which non-governmental armed groups enforce illegitimate activities in firms and civil society. The aim is to recognize employees as key and effective players in implementing ambidextrous organizational and human resource management (HRM) strategies. We know little regarding employee norms and behaviors in complying with global market standards while surviving in environments characterized by high levels of civil violence and crime.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents an explorative, qualitative study based on 65 semi-structured interviews and conversations with employees in Colombia and Mexico over four years.
Findings
The findings of this paper indicate that the presence of non-governmental armed groups forces firms, HR departments and front-line managers to strategically exploit security measures inspired by employees’ informal institutions to protect firm assets while implementing innovative exploration strategies to improve employee work conditions, survive in unsafe environments and remain internationally competitive.
Originality/value
The findings suggest that organization, HRM and employee ambidexterity are organizational advantages in illegitimate institutional contexts. This study contributes to the literature linking ambidexterity and institutional theory by emphasizing informal institutions when examining employment relationships in unsafe environments.
Objetivo
o objetivo deste trabalho é fazer uma análise das estratégias de empresas e empregados em contextos institucionais ilegítimos onde grupos armados afetam empresas e sociedade civil através da implementação de atividades fora da lei. O objetivo é reconhecer aos empregados como funcionários-chave e efetivos na implementação de estratégias de ambidestria organizacional e da gestão de recursos humanos (HRM). Conhecemos poucas informações sobre as políticas, estratégias, práticas e comportamentos dos funcionários para cumprir com os padrões globais, as suas responsabilidades e funções no cargo, enquanto procuram sobreviver em simultâneo em contextos que têm um alto nível de violência e criminalidade contra a população.
Design/metodologia/abordagem
Este artigo apresenta um estudo exploratório sob uma abordagem qualitativa com base em 65 entrevistas semiestruturadas e conversas com funcionários na Colômbia e no México ao longo de um período de quatro anos.
Conclusões
Nossas descobertas indicam que os grupos armados não governamentais têm forçado organizações, setores de recursos humanos e gerentes da linha de frente a explorar estrategicamente medidas de segurança inspiradas nas instituições informais para proteger os ativos da empresa. Além disso, as empresas têm adotado estratégias exploratórias inovadoras para melhorar as condições de trabalho dos funcionários, lidar e sobreviver em ambientes de risco e continuar sendo competitivas internacionalmente.
Originalidade/valor
Nossas descobertas sugerem que a organização, a gestão dos recursos humanos e ambidestria dos funcionários são uma vantagem organizacional em contextos institucionais ilegitimos. Nosso estudo tem como objetivo contribuir para a literatura que liga a ambidestria com a teoria institucional com o fim de destacar o papel das instituições informais na análise das relações de trabalho em ambientes inseguros.
Palabras chave
Instituições Informais, instituições ilegítimas, Ambidestria, Gupos armados não-governamentais, Colômbia, México
Tipo de artículo – Trabajo de pesquisa
Propósito
el propósito de este trabajo es analizar las estrategias de las empresas y los empleados en contextos institucionales ilegítimos en los que los grupos armados afectan a las empresas y la sociedad civil mediante la implementación de actividades al margen de la ley. El objetivo es reconocer a los empleados como actores clave y efectivos en la implementación de estrategias de ambidestreza organizacional y de gestión de recursos humanos (HRM). Sabemos poco sobre las políticas, estrategias, prácticas y comportamientos de los empleados para cumplir con los estándares mundiales, sus responsabilidades y funciones en el cargo y al mismo tiempo sobrevivir en entornos caracterizados por un alto grado de delincuencia y violencia hacia la población civil.
Diseño/metodología/enfoque
este documento presenta un estudio exploratorio bajo una perspectiva cualitativo basado en 65 entrevistas semiestructuradas y conversacionales con empleados en Colombia y México durante un período de cuatro años.
Hallazgos
nuestros hallazgos indican que grupos armados al margen de la ley han obligado a organizaciones, departamentos de recursos humanos y gerentes de primera línea a explotar estratégicamente medidas de seguridad inspiradas en instituciones informales para proteger activos de la empresa mientras implementan estrategias exploratorias innovadoras para mejorar las condiciones de trabajo de los empleados, sobrellevar y sobrevivir en entornos de riesgo e inseguros y, a la par, seguir siendo competitivos en el plano internacional.
Originalidad/valor
nuestros hallazgos sugieren que la organización, la gestión de recursos humanos y la ambidestreza de los empleados son una ventaja organizativa en contextos institucionales ilegítimos. Nuestro estudio tiene como objetivo contribuir a la literatura que vincula la ambidestreza y la teoría institucional destacando las instituciones informales para examinar las relaciones en entornos inseguros.
Palabras clave
Instituciones informales, Instituciones ilegítimas, Ambidestreza, Grupos armados no gubernamentales, Colombia, México
Tipo de artigo
Trabalho de investigação
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Tâmara Machado Fagundes da Silva, Luciano Costa Santos and Cláudia Fabiana Gohr
Studies addressing barriers to implement lean production (LP) from the perspective of risk management (RM) have not been so usual in the literature. Re-interpreting barriers to…
Abstract
Purpose
Studies addressing barriers to implement lean production (LP) from the perspective of risk management (RM) have not been so usual in the literature. Re-interpreting barriers to lean as potential risks that should be avoided or mitigated, this paper aims to identify and categorise risks in the implementation of LP to propose a framework, which provides an overview of risks that negatively influence this process.
Design/methodology/approach
Through a systematic literature review exploring papers in the Web of Knowledge database, 69 papers were selected. A descriptive analysis was first carried out to identify the evolution in the number of papers, usual terminologies, research methods, analytic tools and the RM phases approached by each paper. After that, an in-depth study of the paper sample was conducted to find risk factors and categories.
Findings
The authors found a list of 61 risk factors. Then, considering the sources of the identified risk factors, six broad categories of risks were defined, namely, top management risks, human resources risks, lean knowledge risks, technical risks, supply chain risks and cultural risks. The authors also defined 34 subcategories, resulting in a risk classification framework.
Research limitations/implications
Based on the review, the authors identified literature gaps and provided a research agenda. A noteworthy research limitation is that the authors only selected papers about LP, so the authors might have missed some potential risks in lean implementation that may arise from other-related areas. Thus, the exploration of lean risks adopting other perspectives may constitute a promising pathway for further research.
Practical implications
The classification framework may help practitioners and researchers in risk identification, evaluation and mitigation. It can also enable the creation of response plans to risks in lean production implementation, as it indicates the potential risks that may be faced along with this process.
Originality/value
This study contributed to add the perspective of RM to the literature on lean implementation. The introduction of RM concepts and tools may generate more robust models of lean implementation. Therefore, the classification framework may represent a starting point to produce new knowledge about this research topic.
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Employees as citizens and companies as part of our society have to deal with the implications of grand challenges such as the global climate change or the COVID-19 pandemic in…
Abstract
Employees as citizens and companies as part of our society have to deal with the implications of grand challenges such as the global climate change or the COVID-19 pandemic in this turbulent twenty-first century. Internal versus external Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) acquires an integrative element of sustainable business strategies. Human Resource Management (HRM) contributes by defining modern internal Workplace CSR concepts for supporting sustainable business strategies. The focus of the sustainable HRM strategy is the employees as the key asset of companies, applying especially to those who are particularly talented as future leadership successors and CSR ambassadors. On the basis of the current Green HRM and Workplace CSR review, theoretical and practical implications are concluded to foster Workplace CSR strategy as part of a modern working culture and an integrative HRM frame. The COVID-19 pandemic as an accelerator of Green and social transformation is also discussed in the context of this sustainable HRM framework.
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The incorporation of digital technologies into higher education in recent years has transformed the teaching and learning landscape, notably in the field of English language…
Abstract
The incorporation of digital technologies into higher education in recent years has transformed the teaching and learning landscape, notably in the field of English language instruction. This study investigates the best practices and challenges linked with the digital transition in higher education English teaching and learning. The digital revolution has enabled new educational approaches, increasing the accessibility and effectiveness of English language instruction. The use of interactive multimedia tools, online platforms, and adaptive learning systems has personalized education, responding to a wide range of student demands and encouraging active engagement. Furthermore, virtual classrooms, video conferencing, and collaborative online spaces have crossed geographical boundaries, encouraging global collaboration and cultural interaction among students. However, this shift has not been without its difficulties. Disparities in access among students based on socioeconomic status or geographic location have expanded the digital divide. Furthermore, due to the rapid growth of technology, educators must get ongoing training in order to effectively apply and adapt to new technologies, providing a difficulty in faculty development and support. This chapter investigates successful and best practices in digital transformation, highlighting the significance of pedagogical alignment, learner-centered approaches, and inclusive practices. It also emphasizes measures for overcoming problems, such as infrastructure investment, equitable access, digital literacy promotion, and continual professional development for educators. Finally, this chapter emphasizes the importance of matching technical innovation with pedagogical objectives in order to optimize the digital transition in English language education. Taking a proactive and inclusive approach to this shift can open up new pathways for effective teaching and learning experiences, preparing higher education students for a rapidly expanding digital world while tackling the associated issues.
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The chapter seeks to reflect on the dynamics of the reconstruction of family farming and peasant agriculture in agrarian reform settlements (“assentamentos”) in Brazil, exploring…
Abstract
The chapter seeks to reflect on the dynamics of the reconstruction of family farming and peasant agriculture in agrarian reform settlements (“assentamentos”) in Brazil, exploring the limits and potential of government food purchases from family farming, particularly the Food Acquisition Program (Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos – PAA), in the creation of alternative paths of rural development. The work analyzes the different strategies through which farmers and their organizations mobilize public policy instruments and market connections, expanding their room for maneuver and agency capacity. Research was conducted in the Baixo Sul Territory of the state of Bahia, focusing the heterogeneous web of social organizations involved in the implementation of the Food Acquisition Program in this setting.
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Meena Andiappan and Lucas Dufour
We study how one form of wrongdoing behavior – gender-based discrimination – evolved and steadily grew amongst longshoremen over seven decades (from 1947 to 2017), despite changes…
Abstract
We study how one form of wrongdoing behavior – gender-based discrimination – evolved and steadily grew amongst longshoremen over seven decades (from 1947 to 2017), despite changes in the nature of work and technological innovations that made the occupation increasingly accessible to women. Using data collected from 72 interviews with retired and active longshoremen and their employers, supplemented with archival and observational data, we find that although women were permitted into the occupation at the beginning of the period (1947 to the 1960s), they were progressively, completely excluded by male longshore workers. We find that after experiencing imprinting (the idea that early experience exerts a crucial influence on later behavioral phenomena) (Immelmann, 1975) during early decades, longshoremen instrumentalized their fear of occupational decline and voluntarily engaged in organizational wrongdoing by discriminating against women. Men rationalized their exclusion of women through two means: first, by adapting the “Madonna vs temptress” paradigm of framing women, and second by strategically emphasizing self-serving justifications. This study contributes to the literature on gendered work and the difficulty of eliminating imprinted, entrenched behaviors in gendered occupations.
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Nancy Duxbury, Fiona Eva Bakas and Cláudia Pato Carvalho
Culture is increasingly recognized as a key component of local development, but this attention is largely focused on large cities. This paper aims to focus on the ways in which…
Abstract
Purpose
Culture is increasingly recognized as a key component of local development, but this attention is largely focused on large cities. This paper aims to focus on the ways in which the innovative, participatory action-research (PAR) methods of IdeaLabs and community intervention workshops are used by two projects with solidarity economy enterprise (SEE) participants to activate place-based cultural resources for local development in small communities.
Design/methodology/approach
An in-depth reflexive analysis undertaken by researchers involved in the two projects, taking a feminist ethics of care perspective, demonstrates the ways in which these two PAR methods promote local development with the goal of fighting against the economic, social and cultural degradation of small cities and rural areas.
Findings
The PAR methods used by the two projects examined stimulate place-based local development initiatives through collaboration and knowledge co-production among participants and researchers. The projects go beyond an instrumental view of the use of culture and the arts for local development to innovate and demonstrate new methodologies for more participatory approaches.
Originality/value
This paper addresses a gap in social economy literature, presenting methods that can be used in PAR projects to catalyse the use of culture as a local development tool by local SEEs.